Pasta Roma Recipes

PASTA ROMA

Steps:

• Cook linguine. Drain, reserving 1 1/2 cups pasta water; return pasta to pot.
• Meanwhile, cook sausage and 2 tablespoons water in a large covered nonstick skillet over medium until fat renders, 5 minutes. Uncover; raise heat to medium-high. Brown sausage, breaking it up with a spoon, 7 minutes.
• Add garlic, bell peppers, and 1/4 cup reserved pasta water; cook until peppers soften, 6 minutes. Add 3/4 cup pasta water and butter; swirl to combine.
• Transfer to pot. Season with salt and pepper. Toss; add more pasta water as desired. Serve.

PASTA ALLA NORMA: NORMA'S PASTA

Steps:

• Cook the penne in a pot of boiling salted water. Stir to prevent the pasta from sticking together. While the pasta is cooking, make the sauce.
• To make the sauce: In a saucepan, heat up 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Gently saute the chopped onions until tender, then add the plum tomatoes and liquid from the can. With the back of a wooden spoon, break up the tomatoes into little chunks. Season the sauce with salt, and pepper, to taste. Cook the tomato sauce for a few minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
• In another pan, heat olive oil and fry the eggplant cubes until golden.
• Drain the eggplant cubes on a paper towel to remove the excess oil. Drain the pasta approximately 2 minutes before the 'al dente' stage and add the pasta to the saucepan. Finish cooking the pasta in the sauce. Add the fried eggplant, basil leaves and sprinkle with ricotta salata. Mix the ingredients together well in the saucepan so that the pasta and the sauce are well amalgamated or combined. Be careful not to overcook the pasta. Transfer the pasta to a warm serving bowl or divide the pasta among warm plates and sprinkle extra ricotta salata on top and serve immediately.

MAKE-AHEAD ROASTED ROMA TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425°F. Line 2 rimmed cookie sheets with foil. Spray each with cooking spray.
• In large bowl, toss tomatoes, olive oil, salt and pepper flakes. Arrange cut side up in one layer, tightly packed in rows, on pans. Transfer onions, without separating into rings, to pan. Press cut side of garlic into the oil, and place on pan. Scrape remaining oil mixture onto onions.
• Roast 55 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes or until tomatoes are charred on edges and onions have browned.
• Squeeze garlic cloves from skins, and place in blender. Working in batches, add tomatoes, onions and pan juices to blender. Blend until smooth, starting low then working up to high speed, 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer to large glass or stainless steel bowl. Repeat with remaining tomatoes, onions, garlic and pan juices.
• Cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate about 30 minutes or until lukewarm. Transfer in 1-cup portions to freezer containers or 1-quart resealable freezer plastic bags. (If using freezer bags, squeeze out excess air before sealing. Lay bag flat on cookie sheet, and freeze.) Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator or in microwave on Medium (50%) 3 to 5 minutes or until completely thawed, then use immediately.

OLIVE GARDEN PASTA ROMA SOUP

Steps:

• Directions:.
• Add beans to food processor and process using on/off pulse until beans are well mashed. Scrape down sides as necessary. Reserve. Heat oil in a Dutch oven. Add carrots, onions, celery and garlic and saute for 5 minutes on medium heat. Add remaining ingredients except pasta and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook stirring occasionally for 25 minutes. Keep warm. Add pasta to finished soup and serve immediately.

ROASTED ROMA TOMATOES AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place the tomato halves in a shallow baking dish in which they can all fit in snugly side by side. Insert the whole cloves of garlic in between the tomatoes. Brush olive oil over the top and sprinkle with basil. Season with salt and pepper.
• Bake uncovered for 35 to 45 minutes, until tomatoes have softened and are sizzling in the pan with the edges slightly charred. Serve while hot.

PASTA ALLA NORMA

Steps:

• Slice the eggplant about 1/2 inch thick. Cook in abundant olive oil, without crowding, sprinkling with salt and adding more oil as needed. You will undoubtedly have to cook in batches; take your time and cook until the eggplant is nicely browned and soft. Remove to a plate; do not drain on paper towels. Meanwhile, put a large pot of water to boil and salt it.
• At the end of the cooking the eggplant, the pan will ideally have a couple of tablespoons of oil left. If there's more or less, drain some off or add a bit. Turn the heat to medium, add the garlic and chiles, and cook until the garlic colors a little bit. Add the tomatoes and oregano, along with some salt and pepper; cook until saucy but not too dry, stirring occasionally.
• Cook the pasta until tender but not mushy. While it's cooking, cut the eggplant into strips and reheat for a minute in the tomato sauce. Drain the pasta and toss it with the tomato sauce and the eggplant. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then top with the parsley or basil and grated cheese and serve.